direction

[ dih-rek-shuhn, dahy- ]

noun

1. the act or an instance of directing.
2. the line along which anything lies, faces, moves, etc., with reference to the point or region toward which it is directed: directed:

   The storm moved in a northerly direction.

3. the point or region itself:

   The direction is north.

4. a position on a line extending from a specific point toward a point of the compass or toward the nadir or the zenith.
5. a line of thought or action or a tendency or inclination:

   the direction of contemporary thought.

6. Usually directions. instruction or guidance for making, using, etc.:

   directions for baking a cake.

7. order; command.
8. management; control; guidance; supervision:

   a company under good direction.

9. a directorate.
10. the name and address of the intended recipient as written on a letter, package, etc.
11. decisions in a stage or film production as to stage business, speaking of lines, lighting, and general presentation.
12. the technique, act, or business of making such decisions, managing and training a cast of actors, etc.
13. the technique, act, or business of directing an orchestra, concert, or other musical presentation or group.
14. Music. a symbol or phrase that indicates in a score the proper tempo, style of performance, mood, etc.
15. a purpose or orientation toward a goal that serves to guide or motivate; focus:

    He doesn't seem to have any direction in life.

direction

/ dɪˈrɛkʃən; daɪ- /

noun

1. the act of directing or the state of being directed
2. management, control, or guidance
3. the work of a stage or film director
4. the course or line along which a person or thing moves, points, or lies
5. the course along which a ship, aircraft, etc, is travelling, expressed as the angle between true or magnetic north and an imaginary line through the main fore-and-aft axis of the vessel
6. the place towards which a person or thing is directed
7. a line of action; course
8. the name and address on a letter, parcel, etc
9. music the process of conducting an orchestra, choir, etc
10. music an instruction in the form of a word or symbol heading or occurring in the body of a passage, movement, or piece to indicate tempo, dynamics, mood, etc
11. modifier maths
    1. (of an angle) being any one of the three angles that a line in space makes with the three positive directions of the coordinate axes. Usually given as α, β, and γ with respect to the x-, y-, and z- axes
    2. (of a cosine) being the cosine of any of the direction angles

Other Words From

• di·rection·less adjective
• predi·rection noun
• self-di·rection noun
• super·di·rection noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of direction¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English direccioun, from Middle French, from Latin dīrēctiōn-, stem of dīrēctiō “arranging in line, straightening”; equivalent to direct + -ion

Idioms and Phrases

see step in the right direction .

Synonym Study

See tendency.

Example Sentences

Then you give them a tab of acid and it goes in a completely different direction.

From Los Angeles Times

This was a period in which Tanton himself was veering in an increasingly extremist and overtly racist direction.

From Salon

“A clear direction and implementation plan for Pure Water L.A. is still missing,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

In the most basic sense, the 2024 election can be understood as a referendum on the direction of America and the future of pluralistic multiracial democracy.

From Salon

Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd recently launched the Road Safety Strategy to 2030, which sets the direction for future road safety policies and actions.

From BBC

Related Words

• angle
• area
• aspect
• line
• objective
• orientation
• outlook
• path
• trend
• way